The Valentine
by Angry Tail
Summary: Valentine's Day at Yomi North. / May contain alternate happenings, profanities and intimate moments. Don't like this pairing or any of mentioned things - Don't read.


"Just do this, Izumi." Takako's voice sounded bored and slightly annoyed at the moment. How many times is she supposed to comfort her best friend and convince her to just do it?

"But what if he will realize it's from me? What if he will come to me and say he rejects me? Or that I'm not his type?" This day the shoe was on other foot. Takako was an oasis of calm, incredibly reasonable and maybe even a bit patronizing. Whereas Izumi was shaky, nervous and in shreds. Usually, it was the other way around. Alright, maybe describing Akazawa as an oasis of calm would be an overstatement...

"Calm down, girl. There's no way he will realize it's from you. He doesn't even know your handwriting. "

"But he can ask somebody if they recognize it! I guess I wasn't thinking straight when I wrote this and decided I'll drop it in his locker! Oh, the hell! It's the stupidest thing that has ever come to my mind! No, I can't do this!"

"IIIIIIIIIIZZZZZUUUUMMMMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

Everyone's heads turned in their direction at that shriek. Both girls froze for a second.

But after a moment, people came back to their chatting and other stuff.

"Man, it's a miracle the walls aren't shaking..." One boy said. Izumi unpurposely giggled at that comment.

"Still undecided?" Yukari, who just walked up to them, asked.

"Yes!" Takako answered instead of Izumi. "And I'm done with repeating it's a good idea! Convince her somehow, 'cause I'm fed up with it! Gimme a break!"

"Hey, isn't that what Teshigawara-kun regularly says?" Yukari wrinkled her forehead.

"Don't mention that moron." Izumi snarled. She just couldn't stand him.

"Anyway... Of course it's a good idea. It might help with changing the way he looks at you." Yukari smiled softly. All of three girls knew that he treats Akazawa only as a classmate. Nothing more. And all of them wanted to change it. Head of countermeasures obviously wanted it the most.

"But what if it will help with changing in a bad way?"

"Izumi! What the hell is happening with you today?! Goofy influence of this friggin' day?! You're a real pain in you-know-what! You..."

"It won't change in a bad way, Akazawa-san. Just go and do it." Yukari quickly interrupted before Takako could say anything else.

"Fine..." Yeah, she made this card, so she has to drop it where she wants. After all, you only live once, so why not?

She looked around attentively. Not everyone was in the class yet, so there was still a risk she'll meet him near his locker...

_Takako is right! What the fuck is wrong with you, Akazawa?! Get a grip!_ After this thought, she didn't look at Takako nor Yukari anymore and she just ran out of the class.

A while later she was standing in front of the locker. _His_ locker. Fortunately, hallways were empty and nobody saw her.

Izumi smiled to herself while putting the card in a slot. She didn't waste time to stare at it, thus after a sprint she was back in the class.

At the last minute, because the lesson was about to start. Everybody took their seats, only Yukari was standing near the door.

"Izumi..." Though Yukari was one of her best friends, she prefered referring to her as "Akazawa-san". She was using her first name only in special moments.

"Yes, I did it." Izumi didn't even have to ask what Yukari wants to know.

Sakuragi let out a huge sigh of relief. "Finally! Can't wait to know his reaction."

"M-Me too..." Izumi was afraid of his reaction.

"Please take seats, girls." The teacher entered the classroom. They both went to their desks.  
~

It was Valentine's Day. Such an awful, stupid, terrible day.

Izumi really despised it, maybe even she hated it. Every year, when she was hanging out around the city alone or with her friends this day, the shops were filled with valentine cards, red or pink hearts, teddy bears, heart-shaped lollipops and other bullshit.

The thing that annoyed her the most was a fact all these odds and sods were created with a view to the ones who were happily in love.

While Izumi... wasn't happily in love. Better yet, her crush was probably one-sided.

Always strong, straightforward, unabashed head of countermeasures didn't want to confess her feelings towards certain boy. She was just afraid, he was the only person who could make her embarrassed.

She turned head to peek at her wonderwall.

_Kouichi_.

A dreamy smile automatically came on her face, but seconds later it faded away. Nobody could see that smile, no one!

Especially him.

He changed physically, but not much. He began choosing better, well-fitting clothes. In a matter of worries he is too scrawny, he started also going to the gym. Not everyday, not to become a total badass. Just to be a little better built. And he succeeded in it, what made him only more attractive.

Nevertheless his friendly, sociable, helping attitude stayed the same. That was why he was a liked person. Since some time, maybe even too liked among girls in the class, which was the reason Akazawa always tried to be around when some girls attempted to flirt with Kouichi.

And it was working. Because Akazawa Izumi was the most beautiful and the sexiest girl in the class, with no doubts. This was opinion of practically every guy and every girl from class 3-3.

And she was aware of her charm. And she didn't hesitate to use it.

Sadly, this charm wasn't working on Kouichi. She knew he liked her and enjoyed spending time with her. But he never gave any signals he might like her more than a friend. So, additionally encouraged by Takako and Yukari, she made a valentine card in which she wrote her feelings. And she dropped it in his locker before the lesson. That was not an entirely bad idea. Now she'll just wait. If his reaction will be positive, she will fess up. If not... well, the valentine is anonymous, after all, he won't find out who he received it from. She has nothing to lose, hasn't she?

Another thing she was scared about was that though Sakaki liked a company of redheaded miss, he was hanging out more with "Pirate Girl", how Takako was calling her.

Akazawa sighed, moving her gaze a bit to the right, to spot a really short, black-haired girl in the last desk who just stared out a window.

Misaki Mei.

Not like she hated her. She just disliked her for not obeying the rules of the class, while she was told very clearly what to do. But when after few months she could "get back to life" and stop being non-existent, her being close to Sakakibara didn't go unnoticed by Izumi. Thus her aversion towards Misaki-san grew more.

"What did I just say, Akazawa-san?" The teacher glared at her.

Izumi quickly turned her head, stressed. "Uhm..." Welp, okay. She totally spaced out.

"A reliable student like you shouldn't get distracted."

"Yes, yes... I'm sorry. This will not happen again."

"Good. So pay attention, starting _now_." Kubodera-sensei was definitely grumpy today.

Akazawa opened her notebook, trying not to look around anymore.  
~

The next lessons were much sloppier. Everybody could relax. Finally, a bell rang for the lunch break. Almost the whole class instantly ran out, if not for a lunch, then to go somewhere else. Izumi and several other students decided to stay in the classroom. It meant she could peacefully sink into her own thoughts again, so she sat on her desk, staring out a window.

Of course Sakakibara left, probably with his dear Misaki. It wouldn't be any other way. She huffed.

Imaginativeness suggested her a lot of various visions, starring Mei and Kouichi.

Yuck!

No, no, no. She has to think about something else, not to ruin her mood. She tried to focus on what could be seen through the glass.

Yomiyama.

Yomiyama North Middle School's yards, to be precise.

This school, this sick school which allegedly didn't vary from other Japanese schools, this goddamn school which was a witness of a lot of deceases in the past...

Cursed class 3-3. Ludicrous deaths every year. Dead students, families and even teachers. Extra ones.

It didn't have to happen exactly every year, in the history were cases when the curse didn't start working and every student could graduate... could live.

Though, those cases were very rare. The calamity killed more people than it can be imagined.

From the present class 3-3, Izumi was the only one who believed in the disaster. How could she not believe? The calamity took life of her dearest brother, Kazuma. That was the main reason she volunteered herself for a head of countermeasures job. And this year the non-existent was chosen by Kubodera-sensei. He chose Mei Misaki. At the beginning, the girl with eyepatch was doing a good job, she really behaved like she didn't exist. Maybe the task was easy to her, since her personality was just like it.

But Sakakibara just had to break the charm and interact to her. Not like Akazawa blamed him, it was mainly her fault for not being present on his very first day at school. She didn't warn him. But later it turned out her warning wasn't necessary. Fortunately, this was one of these cases in the history of Yomiyama when the tragedy play didn't start. This class 3-3 was destined to live. It was already February, so close to graduation and nothing bad has happened to any of them.

And nothing bad is going to happen.

They will all graduate.

"Yo, Akazawa! Are ya free tonight?" Familiar, so hated voice brought her back to earth. Literally! After receiving a strong pat in the shoulder she fell from her desk on the floor!

"ARGH! TESHIGAWARAAAAAA!" The students could watch with amusement, laugh and even shock how twin tailed girl lifts from the floor and gives tall, blond guy a hard kick right in the balls in no time. Even when Naoya, shouting, stooped down in pain, Izumi didn't stop pummelling his body.

"You retarded bastard! Creepy fucker! Useless jerk!"

"S...top it, stop... YEOUCH!"

As if Akazawa would obey him. She kept punching him with anger until he finally managed to dodge another strike. Redheaded girl almost lost her balance, but she didn't fall. She sat back on her desk, rubbing hands like she just won an awesome battle in wrestling.

Battered Teshi was still lying on the floor, his body was full of bruises and even blood.

"Jeez, Akazawa... why are you so dangerous? What did I even do to you?"

"Shut up." Izumi retorted. She is not going to get into conversation with this idiot, of all annoying people. Anyway, he got a lesson it's better not to interrupt her thoughts. Especially with a question like this. She wouldn't go on a date with him, she wouldn't go anywhere with him, even if her life depended on it.

"Well done, Izumi." Takako, with a proud smirk on face, appeared near her friend, putting an arm around Izumi's shoulders, while giving Teshigawara a disgusted look.

Head of countermeasures just smiled a little, exactly at the moment the bell rang. Luckily, it's the last lesson.

Takako went to her own desk. Akazawa sat on a chair, looking around.

Kouichi didn't come yet... what will his reaction be like, when he will check his locker?  
~

Sakakibara sighed. No sign of Misaki.

He was already on the rooftop, on yards, in the library - everywhere, almost. Now he was pacing the hallways, thinking. But not about Misaki. Since a long time, a certain girl with two long twintails couldn't come out of his mind.

Akazawa-san... Always so graceful. Always so strong. There was no problem she couldn't solve.

And... beautiful. Yeah, beautiful. Kouichi finally had to admit he doesn't dislike her appearance... To be honest, he liked it very much. Even when she was enraged, her eyes were sparkling in a way that was making him get the chills. Pleasant chills.

Spending time with her was a pure pleasure. Though Kouichi wasn't around her very often, because... he was afraid. He was scared it could occur to her that he is throwing himself upon her or stuff like that. And her presence was enough to make him embarrassed.

Also, he got used to hang out with Misaki... but it was way less enjoyable. They could be seen together almost everywhere, but they were just sitting or standing, nothing more than it. Every time he tried to talk down, Mei was cutting discussion, showing with her voice it's bothersome, or sometimes she was simply ignoring him. And she was often spacing out, not paying any attention to him. She didn't even comment when Kouichi decided he has to change his look a bit.

She is so different from Izumi.

Wait a moment, did he just think "Izumi"?

No! It's not Izumi! For him, it's Akazawa-san... right?

Anyway, he shouldn't even think about her. At least, not that much.

What day is it today? Valentine's Day? He's wondering how many valentines Akazawa-san got. Every year her desk or her locker was full of them, she always had so many admirers.

Eh! And he's thinking about her again. This isn't good.

He should focus on finding Misaki.

Oho! Think of the devil!

Mei was in the locker room, changing her shoes. Kouichi ran up to her.

"Where were you?! I was looking for you everywhere! What are you even doing here?"

"What does it look like?" Mei replied with a question.

Kouichi blinked. "Skipping school?" There was still one lesson left. And Misaki was a good student. If she was still a non-existent, leaving school wouldn't be strange, but now... It seemed suspicious.

"Pretty much. And now excuse me, Sakakibara-kun, but I'm meeting with... somebody important. And you... you... you're getting in my way again!" Misaki suddenly shouted.

Sakakibara's eyes widened. Since when does that girl behave like this? And why?

"What?!"

"What? WHAT?! I'll tell you what! You're always meddling in! You're always beside me! You never leave me alone, even though I want it! I can't even meet with... some boy..." Mei suddenly turned red. Kouichi got shocked even more. She... she likes someone? Who would have guessed it?

"...I have to meet with him in secret, I can't even invite him to my house, because you're there everyday! I'm sick of you being literally everywhere!" Mei continued yelling.

"Why couldn't you just tell me you want to meet with him?!" Sakakibara shouted, too. This all is strange.

"I didn't want you to know about it! You could even follow me, you stalker!"

"As if I would do a thing like this! And I'm not a stalker!"

"Yes, you are! Sakakibara-kun, you're not a stupid guy. In fact, you're smart. Why won't you find yourself a girlfriend? Like Akazawa-san, maybe? You have big chances to be her boyfriend." Mei calmed down a little and tilted her head.

Now Kouichi's cheeks flushed. "I... I have no idea what you are talking about!"

"Oh, don't act a fool! I know you have a thing for her. I see the way you look at her. You turn your head when somebody mentions her. You get so excited when she's around. My observations let me guess you're not neutral for her, too. You know, I wouldn't dislike you two as a couple." Mei returned to her regular unfazed voice. The boy's heart beated louder and faster with every word she said. So she noticed... was it that obvious? What... what if Akazawa herself also noticed this?

"I...I..."

"You should make it happen and stop being stuck with me!" Mei screamed. Before Kouichi realized what she is doing, he noticed a flash of the blade.

She... she just took a knife out of her bag.

His eyes widened in terror. This girl... what is wrong with her?! What happened to her?! Did she suddenly lose her mind?!

"M... Misaki-san! Don't do anything too hasty!"

Mei's face expression became surprised. "You really think I'm going to stab you, moron?! I'm just checking if it's sharp! I carry this knife with me for self-defense. Just in case if somebody tried to rape me or something like that. So far, nothing like this happened, but forewarned is forearmed. I often meet with N... this guy in the evenings."

Sakakibara breathed heavily. Misaki-san yelling in anger? Misaki-san harsh? Misaki-san meeting with some boy in secret? Misaki-san outspoken? Misaki-san wanting him to be with Akazawa-san? Misaki-san carrying knife with herself even to school? Is this Misaki-san for sure?

"Who are you and what did you do with Misaki Mei I know?"

"Idiot. You never knew the real Misaki Mei." She gritted her teeth. A second later she adjusted a strap of her bag and she passed by him.

"There's nothing else for me here. Good luck with Akazawa-san, Sakakibara-kun." Mei whispered and after that, she left.

Sakakibara leaned back against the wall. He couldn't believe what just happened. But Misaki is right, he barely knows her. He never saw her real side.

Oh God, he always knew she is a person who has many surprises... but that many? And she... she wants him to be with Akazawa.

Akazawa!

He's thinking about her again. Did Misaki say... he is not neutral for Akazawa-san? But... why in the world would such a perfect girl like head of countermeasures be fond of an average guy like him?

He stopped leaning against the wall and passed by his own locker. In the first moment he didn't notice something was sticking out of it. But a moment later...

_Wait, don't tell me I got a valentine__!_

Kouichi quickly rushed to the locker, excited. Who could drop this?

He took the paper out of a slot, unwinded it and started reading. With every read word his heart pounded faster. A few minutes later he finished, staring at it. The girl who wrote this... _loves him_... loves him so much... Who can it be? Maybe he should find out who it is and talk with her.

He glanced at the last words. Suddenly, they struck a chord in his head.

_Kouichi-kun_?!  
~

Kouichi is late. Izumi started getting upset. Mei is absent, too.

Did they go somewhere together? Maybe they skipped school?

She bit her lip. Of course they are together, but she doesn't know where.

But suddenly, the door opened with a bang and exhausted Kouichi shot in.

"I'm sorry, sensei!"

The teacher broke the chalk. "Argh! This is the last time you're late, Sakakibara-kun!"

The boy took his seat. Judging after his look, he had to run very fast. Everybody stared at him for a while, but then they moved their gaze to the blackboard. Only Izumi looked at him for longer. She noticed a fragment of paper he quickly hid in his pocket and she froze. _He read this_. How did he react? She couldn't see his face, because he covered it in his hands.

The girl turned her head. Her bag was full of valentines. Leaving classroom to talk to her friends was enough for anonymous people to place a bunch of cards on her desk. She noticed that pile was even bigger than last year.

She sighed. What will she do with all these items?

Izumi didn't need valentine cards. All she needed was Kouichi and his love.  
~

"...and the homework is..." Kubodera-sensei didn't finish the sentence, because the bell rang.

"Alright! You won't get homework today! I just want this stupid day to end!" The man groaned with displeasure and left the classroom first.

"Hahahaha, what's up with him? He didn't get any valentine?" Teshigawara joked.

"Sakakibara-kun! Are you coming with us?" Mochizuki asked Kouichi.

"Uhm, no, guys. Go without me... wait, what happened to your face?!" He looked at Naoya's damaged face. Blond boy winced and pointed his head at some person. Kouichi peeked in that direction. Ah. Akazawa-san.

Honestly, Teshigawara was one of his closest friends, but sometimes Kouichi really wanted to follow in Akazawa's footsteps. Teshi deserved it at certain moments.

Naoya was known in the whole school for having a crush on redheaded girl. Sakakibara was aware of that. And he wanted to punch him for his attempts to flirt with her. Fortunately, the girl wasn't returning Teshi's feelings, better yet, she hated him.

_Stay away from Akazawa Izumi! She is MINE!_

He blinked, shocked. Why did he just think this? Why did he feel like somebody jabbed his heart with a pin? Why did he want to tear Teshigawara to pieces for his efforts to be close to Akazawa?

These questions were stupid, because Kouichi knew the answers. There is only one answer to all of these questions.

_He loves her_.

He loves Izumi with all his heart. He doesn't even know since when. He tried to convince himself it's not this way, but he failed and he had to admit he can't live without her.

And he has to tell her about it. That's why he was delaying his leaving the classroom.

"I see." It was all Sakaki said.

"See ya later! I mean, if you're coming there later?"

"Maybe I will. Bye."

Akazawa was temporizing, too. Finally, the room was empty. It was just her and him.

She gave no sign of that she noticed his presence. She just walked to the window.

"Uhm... Hi, Akazawa-san. I didn't have an opportunity to talk to you today." Kouichi spoke out a bit shyly.

A moment of silence.

"Where is your beloved Pirate Girl?" Izumi asked mockingly. She wasn't sarcastic and mean to Kouichi as much as to the others, but sometimes it was happening when she was irritated. And after that she was feeling really sorry.

Kouichi's eyes widened. "My beloved what?"

"Don't pretend you don't know who I'm talking about. Where is Misaki-san? Shouldn't she be with you, as usual?" She turned to him, crossing her arms, but she opened her mouth a little when after her words the boy lowered his head... with sorrow? Irritation?

"She was never loved by me. Especially not after what she did today." He said through his teeth.

"What happened, Kouichi-kun?" Akazawa asked with totally different tone. Concerned.

Sakakibara looked up at her. "I'll tell you everything about it, but later, okay? Now I want to show you something."

The girl nodded. "Show me."

He pulled out the valentine and handed her. "I... Somebody dropped this card in my locker. Do you happen to know who it might be?"

Izumi read the valentine. Her face showed no emotion, but she was full of feelings inside. Then, she gave it back to him.

"Akazawa-san... is it from you?"

Her reaction was instant. She turned away as fast as she could.

"Akazawa-san... is that from you?" Kouichi repeated a question.

Izumi didn't answer.

"The last words... You are the only one who calls me that." _And I love it_, he finished in thoughts.

Head of countermeasures ultimately turned to him again, with face as red as a turkey-cock. To describe it in other way, her actual face color equaled the color of her hair and eyes.

"I c-couldn't resist... I had to add this! And I wanted to give you some hint... I... I..." She stuttered. Kouichi approached. She could hear her own heartbeat.

"Argh! I'm done with hiding and playing stupid games! I love you, Kouichi-kun! I love you since a very long time! I can't even imagine myself loving anybody else!" She exclaimed, the emotions could be heard very clearly in her voice and seen in her burning eyes.

She finally said it...

Sakakibara didn't say a word. Does it mean... he... he doesn't feel the same way?

"You... y-you don't feel the same, right? I-I-It's fine..." Akazawa turned again and started walking to the exit, but Kouichi swiftly grabbed her hand.

"Izumi, wait!"

What?!

Did he just say "Izumi"?

"You just said my name..." The girl whispered. In his mouth her name sounded like a melody. The first time he called her by it...

He gently pulled her closer to him and looked deeply into her eyes. She could see the warmth inside and... a feeling. Love... ?

"I'll be saying your name often. Why... why do you think I don't feel the same? The truth should be told a while ago... I love you too, Izumi. I love you like crazy."

The most beautiful words she has ever heard. She was swearing she could fly at this moment. Kouichi was feeling exactly the same, a happy smile came on his face, happy like never before.

"Kouichi..." She said quietly, as she touched his face.

And seconds later, there happened a moment they both waited so long for.

Kouichi's upper lip caught on Izumi's lower lip, then his lower lip hooked against her upper one, finally he pressed his lips to hers. Izumi wrapped her arms around his neck, as she kissed him back fondly. Sakakibara deepened the kiss, wrapping his own arms around Akazawa's waist, pulling her to him as close as he could, trying not to leave any inch of space between them.

It was amazing. Kouichi was having butterflies in stomach, while Izumi was trying her best to not forget about breathing.

Soon after, their kisses became more and more passionate. He shoved her backwards delicately, without letting her go even for a second, until her body touched some hindrance. He picked her up and placed her on teacher's desk. Akazawa quickly wrapped her long legs around Sakakibara's waist. He moaned with gladness when he felt her teeth sinking softly into his lower lip.  
A moment later, Izumi gently licked his lower lip till he opened his mouth. Kouichi felt her tongue sliding in and starting to play with his own. One of his hands was still on her waist, while the fingers of the other one were running through her twintails.

The boy didn't even realize when his palm travelled from the girl's waist to her thigh. Just like Akazawa. Before she even knew what she was doing, before she could even stop herself, she was already unbuttoning Sakakibara's shirt. Then she tossed it somewhere on the floor. Her left hand touched his warm, sculpted chest, the right one wandered to the other side of his flesh. She could feel shivers running up his body when her fingernails dug into his back.

She suddenly broke the kiss, very reluctantly though. Somebody could come in anytime.

"Hold on a moment, Kouichi-kun. Not here." For a second she wasn't able to recognize her own voice. It was shaking with happiness.

Kouichi made a sad face. "Why? I want to be here with you." And he placed a greedy kiss on her neck. She stopped breathing for a moment.

"Somebody can come here. Besides... My family is away for a week, we have an empty house all for ourselves..." Izumi whispered seductively in Kouichi's ear. This gave him even more chills. She giggled.

Kouichi replied with a cheerful smile, his eyes were full of joy and love. He pecked her lips one more time before he put his shirt on.

And when they both ran out of the classroom, laughing, when they were already outside, holding their hands, Izumi decided she will never think nor say any bad word about Valentine's Day.

This is the best day ever.  
~*.

**Created because of boredom and fondness for this couple (:**

**Ah, and my dear Afira! xoxo Tell me what you think about this.**


End file.
